Veterans Foundation Inc is a 501c(3) non-profit organization founded to do research and development programs for veterans, active-duty military and their family and children.

Question:Who started VFI ?

Answer:

Four Vietnam and Vietnam-era veterans founded VFI: Harry Shaw, Steve Sokol, Jerry Melnyk, and Robert Leong.

Question:When did they start VFI ?

Answer:

VFI was incorporated in the State of California on July 29, 1980.

Question:When did VFI begin working with children’s issues ?

Answer:

VFI has a long history of supporting PTSD research and how it affects the families and spouses of those who have the disorder. VFI’s current program to fund independent research and develop new therapies to help the children of veterans with PTSD is its largest program to date.

Question:What does VFI hope to accomplish by doing this research & development ?

Answer:

VFI’s strategy is two-pronged: First, we will provide needed new therapies for children who suffer due their reactions to parental PTSD. Second, we hope that our efforts will provide some relief to an overburdened VA medical system; the incidence of children’s reactions to a parent’s PTSD is a growing problem that the VA system is not fully capable of addressing properly.

The AVA Show is produced by VFI as a live event and for national broadcast, in cooperation with the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs. AVA has been described as the Golden Globes for the military and has enjoyed tremendous Hollywood support and rave TV ratings and reviews.

Question:Have any celebrities or well-known individuals been involved in the AVA shows?

The AVA shows have been broadcast on The History Channel, Time Warner Cable’s national regional network, The VA Knowledge Network and Armed Forces TV (The Pentagon Channel). The Ava’s currently have an agreement with The Military Channel for any future broadcast.